Crucible-furnace.



W. NI. BROWN.

CRUCIBLE FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED APII.2, I9I4.

Patented Feb. .15, 1916.`

FIG.1

. l INVENTOR @mM/M0 WITNESsr-:s

this invention, (the furnace covers and the.

f aI-horizontal branch fine-1, 'and the waste ATENT OFFICE.

onUoIBLErURNAcE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1,5, 1916.

Application iiled April 2, 1914. Serial N 0. 829,147.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILTQN BROWN, a resident of Johnstown, -in the county of Cambria and State of ,Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Crucible-Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of crucible furnaces for manufacturing crucible steel and the invention is designed to provide a crucible furnace of improved construction, having novel means for handling the crucibles and for supporting the crucibles while in the furnace.

Another object of the invention is to provide' a crucible furnace having improved means for supporting the crucibles with the bottom thereof above the level of the bottomof the crucible heating chamber.

The invention further consists in the novel construction and varrangement of parts shown and described and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

J\eferring to the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is aplan showing a bank of crucible furnaces constructed and assembled in accordance with crucibles not being shown for the sake of clearness). Fig. 2 isa sectional elevation, the section being taken on the line I'I-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing on an enlarged scale the construc-V tion of the crucible supporting and'lifting inechanisni, lforming part of this invention.

ln the accompanying drawings, the nuineral 2 designates the furnaces which as shown are arranged in two parallel rows, each furnace 2A being connected to the horizontally extending waste gas flue 3 connecting to all of the furnaces, by means of gas flue 3 is connected to one end of a horizontal stack flue 5 leading to a furnace stack (not shown). v

Each furnace chamber 2 is provided with a refractory lining 6 and surrounding each ofV the linings G is a cylindrical wrought :metal shell 7. A fianged `opening '7a in the side of the metal shells enables the interior of the chambers 2 to be connected with the branch fines Ll, these openings also having a refractoryflining. The metal shells7 and the linings therein are supifiorted on bot tom plates 8, one of which extends horizontally between' the adjacent transversely tions between the series of ash pits 10. One of the ash pits 10 is provided beneath each of the fui-nace chambers 2, and one side edge of the bottom plates 8 rests upon the ledge formed inthe wall 17a. along one side of the pits l7.

The open upper end of each furnace also has a cover 11 which is .formed of a metal frame work in which a refractory lining. is

placed. One end of the frame work is pro-- vided with track wheels 12, 12 which are rotatably secured to lugs or bearings 13 formed integrally on the cover 1l. The opposite end ofthe frame work is provided with a lug 14 having recess or hole 15 in which one end of a bar is inserted when placing the cover in position over the top of the furnace or when movingthc vcover from Asuch position to uncover the top of the furnace. Positioned in the bottom of .each furnace is a furnace grate 16 having a central opening thereln and having a series of perfora- 'tions or slots 16a surrounding the central in effect, ay tunnel extending lengthwise be` low each of the two rows of furnaces.

The floor 19 which separates the ash pits 10 from the cylinder pits 18, is supported upon metal. fioor plates 20, these plates having a central opening therein and an annular upwardly extending' flange 21 surrounding the opening which forms a guide for the lvertically movable cylinders 22 forming part of the crucible lifting mechanism. 4

Secured in the bottom of the cylinder pits beneath each furnace 2 is a stationary- .`10 The rams plunger or'ram 23 which issecured upon a suitable foundation therefor. 23 4each have an axial opening 24 therein connected by a transverse opening 25, which is at or adjacent to the lower end of the ram so as to forni a port or inlet opening for the tluid pressure used in actuating the crucible lifting mechanism. (See Fig.

`extending side walls 9 which form partilll inder as a substitute for water.

Mounted on each ram 23 so as to move vertically relative theretol is a fluid pressure cylinder 227 this cylinder being provided on its lower end with a stuffing box 26 and gland 27 ofthe usual known construction.

The upper end of the cylinder 22, which projects through the opening in the annular flange 21 on the floor plate 20 supporting the floor of the ash pit l0 and through the central opening in the grate 16 forming the bottom of each furnace is provided with a reduced portion 28 forming a shoulder or jog on which an annular metal ring 29 is mounted. Positioned on top of the reduced portion of the cylinder isa shape brick 30 formed of refractory material, this brick Vengaging with and supporting the crucibles 31 so that the bottom of the crucibles are held slightly above the plane of the upper surface of the grates 16 in the furnaces 2.

The cylinder 22 is provided with a renewable wrought metal shield 32 this shield as shown being conveniently formed of a.

piece of wrought metal pipe. The shield serves to protect the cylinder from the effects of the heat of the furnace when the cylinder is projected upwardly to remove a crucible from the furnace or to receive a Crucible to be lowered into the furnace and also serves as a guidingsurface fer the vertically movable cylinder.

The lower end of the cylinder 22 is provided with a split ring 33 havingl flanges or lugs 34; thereon, this ring being made in sections to enable its being detachably secured to the cylinder.

Extending upwardly from the base plate by which the plunger is secured on its foundation, are two similarly constructed rods 36 these rods extending through openings in the lugs 34 of the ring 33 on the lower end of the cylinder 22 and forming stops by which the upward and downward movement of the cylinder is limited. Helical springs 37, 38 are placed on the rods 36 on opposite sides of the lugs 34 to cushion the cvlinder 24 in bringing the cylinder to a stop at the end of its vertically upward and downward movements. rlhe nuts 39 on the screw threaded upper ends of the bolts 36 provide means-for adjustablya limiting the extent of upward movement of th cylinder 22.

The furnace is fired with coke. in the 'usual manner and air is supplied or al- In the operation of my improved furnace f the operating valve (not shown) which is connected to the inlet 25 on the lower end of the plungers 23 is turned to admit fluid pressure to the lifting cylinder 22 and the cylinder is thereby raised until its upper end is at about the floor level or top of the furnace 2. A Crucible 31 is then placed on top of the cylinder, the Crucible being filled steel making material. The operating valve is then turned to permit the fluid pressure within the cylinder to escape, the weight of the cylinder 22 and crllcible 3l and the materials in the crucible being sufficient to overcome the frictionof the packing rings in the stufling boX` 26 of the cylinder and cause the cylinder to descend until the crucible is in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The crucible is then heated in the usual manner and is maintained at the proper temperature for Ythe time interval necessary to complete the refining operation.

rAfter -the heat of steel is completed, fluid pressure is againadmitted to the cylinder 22 as has been described so as to again cause the cylinder to rise and thereby lift the crucible 31 into position above the top of the furnace where it is readily engaged by the tongs used in conveying the heated and filled crucibles to and from the furnaces. The above described operationsV are then repeated with each of the series of furnaces from time to time as becomes necesin the steel making operations.

The advantages of /my invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art. By the novel arrangement of the plate jacketed furnace separate' unitsare provided and the use of common party walls-to separate the 'joining furnace chambers is avoided. The

lifting mechanism enables the crucibles to be introduced into the furnace without eX- posing the melters to the extreme heat of the furnace as with the old type of crucible furnaces. f l

The use of a stationary plunger and lengthwise movable cylinder provides an outside packed cylinder and the stuffing box and gland is removed to a remote position away from the intense heat of the furnace where it can be repaired without inconvenience.

The use of affords a renewable wearing surface which can be easily and quickly renewed when badly scored or worn by`reai'onof being moved through the bed of fuel within the the shield arouid the cylinder furnace in the Crucible raising and lower-A ing operationen The stop and springs on the stop provide, means for bringing the cylinder to rest Without damage to the cylinder` and connected moving parts.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made with-k out departing from my invention.

The construction of the crucible lifting mechanism may be changed, the lifting apparatus may be used with furnaces of different construction, and the furnace is adapted for use Without employing the lifting mech- 'anisun within the scope ofthe appendedv claims.

I claim 1 y 1. crucible furnace comprising 1n com- .bination` a Crucible heating chamber, having block on the top of said ring having a re* duced portion extending into the ring on the top of said Crucible supporting means.

2. A Crucible furnace comprising in`combination, a Crucible heating chamber,.having an opening in the bottom thereof, vertically movable Crucible supporting means extending through said opening into the heating chamber, and mechanism for elevating said supporting means to lift the crucibles to the level of the top of the furnace, said sup porting means having a reduced upper end forming a shoulder. thereon, an annular ring on said reduced portion, a refractory block on the top of Asaid ring having a reduced portion extending into the ring on the top of said crucible supporting means, said re-v fractory block Whensin lowered position being slightly above the plane of the top of said heating chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WrLLrAM MrLToN BROWN.

1Witnesses:

ROBERT JfBRUon, H. l/V. SMITH. 

